Powell to hear Egypt's frustration

Historically Morocco has helped broker peace deals

US Secretary of State Colin Powell is likely to face more criticism as he heads to Cairo on the second leg of his Middle East peace mission.

His first host, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, asked bluntly why Mr Powell had not gone straight to Israel where Palestinian-administered towns have been taken over by the army.

US credibility and prestige are collapsing quickly

Saudi foreign policy adviser Adel al-Jubeir

Although Israel started a withdrawal of troops from Qalqilya and Tulkarm overnight, King Mohammed's message is set to be repeated as Mr Powell tours the Arab world.

The BBC's correspondent in Cairo says the announcement of the pull-out should help the atmosphere of Mr Powell's meeting with President Hosni Mubarak, but the Egyptians will still demand greater US pressure on Israel.

Mr Mubarak has been a key US ally in the Middle East but is now becoming frustrated by America's reluctance to intervene.

Withdrawal welcomed

Mr Powell gave a cautious welcome to the withdrawal, though he repeated calls for the Israelis to leave all the West Bank towns it has occupied.

"Let us hope that this is not a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but the beginning of a pullback," Mr Powell said.

Colin Powell said he needed help to persuade to Palestinians to abandon violence

Earlier he told Morocco's King Mohammed that he wanted to co-ordinate a plan with Arab and European allies before he arrived in Israel on Thursday.

He gave a similar message to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, asking for Arab help to tell Palestinians that "violence is not the way to achieve our mutually desired goal of a Palestinian state".

A Saudi official said the prince - whose land-for-peace proposals were backed by Arab leaders last month - had set conditions for Arab intervention in the crisis:

• A complete Israeli withdrawal from recently-occupied territory

• US monitors on the ground

• Assistance rebuilding infrastructure damaged by the Israeli campaign

"US interests in the region are suffering gravely," Saudi foreign policy adviser Adel al-Jubeir said, paraphrasing Prince Abdullah.

"US credibility and prestige are collapsing quickly."

He said the prince had told Mr Powell: "The United States must restrain Sharon."

Powell's itinerary

Morocco

Egypt

Spain

Jordan

Israel

Egyptian commentators also say the Bush administration is too biased towards Israel.

US President George W Bush said on Monday Mr Powell has "full latitude" to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat when he arrives in Israel.

Vice-President Dick Cheney refused to visit Mr Arafat last month because the Palestinian leader had not declared a ceasefire.

Israel's Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Mr Powell would be allowed to enter the restricted area where Mr Arafat is besieged inside his West Bank headquarters.